Input/Output Device, Input/Output Method and Program Therefor

ABSTRACT

Input/output devices, input/output methods and programs therefor are provided. In one embodiment, a device includes a first section that displays a dragged portion and a movement region in which the dragged portion is moved on a display screen, a second section that selects the dragged portion by an input device and operates the input device so that the position of the dragged portion moves in the movement region dependent on the amount of operation of the input device, and a third section that selects a portion other than the dragged portion in the movement region by the input device and operates the input device, so that the position of the dragged portion in the movement region dependent on the amount of operation of the input device.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority from Japanese PatentApplications No. 2006-009197 filed on Jan. 17, 2006 and No. 2006-284045filed on Oct. 18, 2006, the contents of which are incorporated herein byreference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an input/output device, an input/outputmethod and a computer readable medium storing thereon a programtherefor. Particularly, the present invention relates to an input/outputdevice using a graphical user interface, an input/output method and acomputer readable medium storing thereon a program therefor.

2. Related Art

A device that displays. a slider bar or a slider on a display screen andinputs values from a slide position on the slider bar has been known asfor example, in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-198224. Insuch device, a pointer on the display screen is moved to the sliderposition by actually moving such as a mouse, and the slider on thedisplay screen is moved on the slider bar and displayed by dragging anddropping the slider by the mouse on the display screen. Thus, a graphicuser interface that inputs values to the device by operating the mouseis provided to a user.

However, when the slider is moved from a value designated by the sliderto a value to be newly designated by the slider by operating the mouse,the device has some problems as follows. For example, in the case that avalue to be newly designated is not a correct value and the slider willbe moved near that value, it is difficult to slightly move the slider onthe display screen in order to change a little bit the value when theamount of movement of the slider on the display screen is larger thanthe amount of actual movement of the mouse. Meanwhile, when the amountof movement of the slider on the display screen is smaller than theamount of actual movement of the mouse, it take a lot of trouble becausethe mouse should be widely moved to move widely the slider on thedisplay screen in order to substantially change the value.

SUMMARY

To solve the above-described problem, a first aspect of the presentinvention provides an input/output device using a graphical userinterface. The input/output device includes: a display section thatdisplays a dragged portion and a movement region in which the draggedportion is moved; a dragged portion movement section that moves aposition of the dragged portion in the movement region on the displayscreen dependent on the amount of operation of an input device byselecting the dragged portion on the display screen by the input deviceand operating the input device; and a region movement section that movesthe position of a dragged portion in the movement region on the displayscreen dependent on the amount of operation of the input device byselecting a portion other than the dragged portion in the movementregion by the input device on the display screen and operating the inputdevice. The ratio between the amount of movement of the dragged portionon the display screen and the amount of operation of the input devicewhen the dragged portion is selected is different from the ratio betweenthe amount of movement of the dragged portion on the display screen andthe amount of operation of the input device when the portion other thanthe dragged portion in the movement region is selected. Thereby theratio between the amount of movement of the dragged portion and theamount of movement of the input device is different dependent on whichportion is dragged. Therefore, a dragged portion can be changed betweena desired situation that the dragged portion is quickly and widely movedon the display screen and another desired situation that the draggedportion is precisely moved a little bit, so that the dragged portion onthe display screen can be rapidly and surely moved.

The ratio between the amount of movement of the dragged portion on thedisplay screen and the amount of operation of the input device may bedifferent between the case that the end of the movement region isselected and the case that the center of the movement region isselected. Thereby a user who attempts to move the dragged portion canappropriately select a portion to be dragged dependent on the amount ofmovement the dragged portion and also can appropriately select a portionto be dragged in operating a mouse to drag the portion other than thedragged portion in the movement region. Thus, the dragged portion can bemoved to a desired portion by more easily operating the input device.

The display section may display a pointer that visually displays theratio on the display screen. Thereby a user who attempts to move thedragged portion can recognize at a glance the amount of movement of theinput device. Thus, the dragged portion can be moved to a desiredportion by more easily operating the input device.

The input/output device may further include a numerical value acquiringsection that acquires a numerical value based on the position of thedragged portion at the movement region. Thereby requiring to input anumerical value as an input parameter, the user can change the numericalvalue by more easily operating the input device.

To solve the above-described problem, a second. aspect of the presentinvention provides an input/output method using a graphical userinterface. The input/output method includes the steps of: displaying adragged portion and a movement region in which the dragged portion ismoved; moving a position of the dragged portion in the movement regionon the display screen dependent on the amount of operation of an inputdevice by selecting the dragged portion on the display screen by theinput device and operating the input device; and moving the position ofa dragged portion in the movement region on the display screen dependenton the amount of operation of the input device by selecting a portionother than the dragged portion in the movement region by the inputdevice on the display screen and operating the input device. The ratiobetween the amount of movement of the dragged portion on the displayscreen and the amount of operation of the input device when the draggedportion is selected is different from the ratio between the amount ofmovement of the dragged portion on the display screen and the amount ofoperation of the input device when the portion other than the draggedportion in the movement region is selected. Thereby an effect the sameas that of the first aspect can be achieved.

To solve the above-described problem, a third aspect of the presentinvention provides a computer readable medium storing thereon a programfor an input/output device using a graphical user interface. The programcauses the input/output device to perform the steps of: displaying adragged portion and a movement region in which the dragged portion ismoved; moving a position of the dragged portion in the movement regionon the display screen dependent on the amount of operation of an inputdevice by selecting the dragged portion on the display screen by theinput device and operating the input device; and moving the position ofa dragged portion in the movement region on the display screen dependenton the amount of operation of the input device by selecting a portionother than the dragged portion in the movement region by the inputdevice on the display screen and operating the input device. The ratiobetween the amount of movement of the dragged portion on the displayscreen and the amount of operation of the input device when the draggedportion is selected is different from the ratio between the amount ofmovement of the dragged portion on the display screen and the amount ofoperation of the input device when the portion other than the draggedportion in the movement region is selected. Thereby an effect the sameas that of the first aspect can be achieved.

Here, all necessary features of the present invention are not listed inthe summary of the invention. The sub-combinations of the features maybecome the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows an example of input/output device 10;

FIG. 2 is an example of block diagram showing a main body 12;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of display on a displayscreen 50;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of an example of operation of the input/outputdevice 10;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of an example of operation of the input/outputdevice 10;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of an example of operation of the input/outputdevice 10;

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing an example of movement region 60and dragged portion 70; and

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing an example of movement region 60and dragged portion 70.

DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, the present invention will now be described throughreferred embodiments. The embodiments do not limit the inventionaccording to claims and all combinations of the features described inthe embodiments are not necessarily essential to means for solving theproblems of the invention.

FIG. 1 shows an example of input/output device 10 according to anembodiment of the present invention. The input/output device 10 includesa main body 12 that performs a program for controlling the input/outputdevice 10, a display 14 having a display screen 50 displays to a userbased on an output from the main body 12, and a keyboard 16 and a mouse18 each of which is an example of input device to input from the user tothe main body 12. The input/output device shown in FIG. 1 accepts theinput of numerical values through a graphic user interface by means ofan application for an image processing as described in detail below.

FIG. 2 is an example of block diagram showing the main body 12 of theinput/output device 10. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an exampleof a display screen 50 displayed by the display section 100 of the mainbody 12. As shown. in FIG. 2, the main body 12 includes the displaysection 100, an dragged portion movement section 110, a region movementsection 120, a numerical value acquiring section 130, a position storagesection 150 and an image processing section 160. Here, the imageprocessing section 160 is an application for performing an imageprocessing, but the image processing section 160 is not limited to that.The image processing section 160 performs an image processing based onthe input of a numerical value such as the magnification of an image.

The display section 100 displays a window 52 that receives a processingfrom a user using a graphical user interface. Additionally, the displaysection 100 displays an dragged portion 70 as an interface for acceptingthe input of the numerical value from the user and a movement region 60in which the dragged portion 70 is moved. Further, the display section100 displays a pointer 90 that indicates the position on the displayscreen 50 designated by the user by means of the mouse 18. In this case,the display section 100 displays the positions of the window 52, themovement region 50, the dragged portion 70 and the pointer 90 withreference to the position storage section 150 described later.

The position storage section 150 stores the position of the movementregion 60 in the window 52, the position of the dragged portion 70 inthe movement region 60 and the position of the pointer 90 in the displayscreen 50. Additionally, the position storage section 150 previouslystores a ratio between the amount of movement of the pointer 90 in thedisplay screen 50 and the amount of operation of the mouse 18. Forexample, the amount of operation of the mouse 18 may be the amount ofmovement of the mouse 18 on a desk. Additionally, if the mouse 18 has atilt wheel, the amount of rotating the tilt wheel is included in theamount of operation of the mouse 18.

The dragged portion movement section 110 acquires mouse informationincluding information indicating a movement direction and the amount ofmovement of the mouse 18 on a desk and information indicating operationof a right button, a left button and a tilt wheel included in the mouse18. The dragged portion movement section 110 calculates a new positionof the pointer 90 on the display screen based on the above-describedinformation, the position of the pointer 90 and the position of thedragged portion 70 stored in the position storage section 150 and theratio between the amount of movement of the pointer 90 on the displayscreen 50 and the amount of movement of the mouse 18 on the desk. Thedragged portion movement section 110 stores the calculated new positionof the pointer 90 in the position storage section 150.

Additionally, the dragged portion movement section 110 determineswhether the dragged portion 70 is dragged by the mouse 18 on the displayscreen 50. For example, the dragged portion movement section 110determines that the dragged portion 70 is dragged by the mouse 18 on thedisplay screen 50 as long as the right button of the mouse 18 is pushedwhen the pointer 90 is placed on the dragged portion 70. Here, to dragthe dragged portion 70 on the display screen 50 means that the draggedportion 70 is selected by the mouse 18 on the display screen 50, forexample. Then, while the dragged portion 70 is dragged, the draggedportion movement section 110 calculates a new position of the draggedportion 70 as well as the position of the pointer 90 was calculated, andstores the same in the position storage section 150. In this case, theratio between the amount of movement of the dragged portion 70 on thedisplay screen 50 and the amount of movement of the mouse 18 in draggingthe dragged portion 70 may be the ratio between the amount of movementof the pointer 90 on the display screen 50 and the amount of movement ofthe mouse 18 on the desk.

The region movement section 120 acquires information indicating theposition of the pointer 90, the position of the movement region 60, theposition of the dragged portion 70 and an operation of the button of themouse 18. Additionally, the region movement section 120 determineswhether a non-dragged portion 80 other than the dragged portion 70 inthe movement region 60 on the display screen 50 based on thoseinformation. In this case, the region movement section 120 determinesthat the non-dragged portion 80 is dragged as long as the right buttonof the mouse 18 is pushed. Further, when the non-dragged portion 80 isdragged, the region movement section 120 calculates a new position ofthe dragged portion 70 based on the position of the dragged portion 70stored in the position storage section 150, the position at which thenon-dragged portion is dragged, the ratio between the amount of movementof the dragged portion 70 on the display screen 50 and the amount ofmovement of the mouse 18, and the movement direction and the amount ofmovement of the mouse 18. The region movement section 120 stores thecalculated new position of the dragged portion 70 and the ratiodescribed later in the position storage section 150.

Additionally, the region movement section 120 stores the ratio betweenthe ratio of the dragged portion and the ratio of the non-draggedportion as ratio information 122 in association with the position of thedragged portion 70 in the movement direction in the movement region 60.Here, the ratio between the amount of movement of the dragged portion 70on the display screen 50 and the amount of movement of the mouse 18 indragging the non-dragged portion 80 (hereinafter referred to as anon-dragged portion ratio) is different from the ratio between theamount of movement of the dragged portion 70 on the display screen 50and the amount of movement of the mouse 18 in dragging the draggedportion 70 (hereinafter referred to as an dragged portion ratio) Therebythe ratio between the amount of movement of the dragged portion 70 onthe display screen 50 and the amount of movement of the mouse 18 isdifferent dependent on which portion is dragged. Therefore, any draggedportion can be changed between a desired situation that the draggedportion 70 is quickly and widely moved on the display screen 50 andanother desired situation that the dragged portion 70 is precisely moveda little bit, so that the dragged portion 70 on the display screen 50can be rapidly and surely moved.

Here, it is preferred that the non-dragged portion ratio is differentbetween when the end of the movement region 60 is dragged and when thecenter of the movement region 60 is dragged. Thereby a user who attemptsto move the dragged portion can appropriately select a portion to bedragged dependent on the amount of movement of the dragged portion andalso can appropriately select a portion to be dragged in operating amouse to drag the portion other than the dragged portion in the movementregion. Thus, the dragged portion can be moved to a desired portion bymore easily operating the input device. Here, region movement section120 causes the position storage section 150 to store the ratio betweenthe dragged portion ratio and the non-dragged portion ratio at aposition at which the non-dragged portion 80 is dragged.

As shown in FIG. 3, when the pointer 90 is displayed on the movementregion 60, the display section 100 may display the pointer 90 an arrowsection 92 that indicates a position designated by the user on thedisplay screen 50 and a ratio section 94 that visually indicates theratio stored in ratio information 122 at the position at which thenon-dragged portion 80 is dragged. The display section 100 displays thepointer 90 including the ratio section 94 based on the ratio stored inthe position storage section 150 when the non-dragged portion 80 isdragged, for example. Thereby the user who attempts to move the draggedportion 70 can recognize the amount for which the mouse 18 should bemoved at a glance and move the dragged portion 70 to a desired positionby more easily operating the mouse 18.

When the display section 100 displays the pointer 90 on the movementregion 60, the movement region 60 may be highlighted. For example, whenthe display section 100 displays the pointer 90 on the movement region60, the color or pattern of the movement region 60 may be changed.Alternatively or additionally, when the display section 100 displays thepointer 90 on the movement region 60, the size of the movement region 60may be increased. Thereby the user can recognize at a glance that thepointer 90 is placed in the movement region 60.

The numerical value acquiring section 130 stores read information onwhich the numerical value is stored in association with the position ofthe dragged portion 70. The numerical value acquiring section 130 refersthe position of the dragged portion 70 stored in the position storagesection 150 and inputs the referred position of the dragged portion 70and the read information to acquire the numerical value. The numericalvalue acquiring section 130 provides the acquired numerical value to theimage processing section 160. Thereby inputting the numerical value asan input parameter to the image processing section 160, the user canchange the numerical value by more easily operating the mouse 18. Thenumerical value acquiring section 130 may provide the acquired numericalvalue to the outside of the input/output device 10.

A storage medium 30 stores a program that causes the display section100, the dragged portion movement section 110, the region movementsection 120 and the numerical value acquiring section 130 to operate.The program stored in the storage medium 30 may be installed in the mainbody 12 to cause the display section 100 and so forth to operate. Inaddition, the main body 12 may acquire such program through acommunication line.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of an example of operation of the input/outputdevice 10. Each of FIG. 7A-7C is a schematic diagram showing an exampleof movement region 60 and displayed dragged portions 70. Each of FIG.8A-8E is a schematic diagram showing an example of movement region 60and displayed dragged portions 70. The flowchart starts when the pointer90 enters the movement region 60. That is, the flowchart starts when thedragged portion movement section 110 determines that the pointer 90enters the movement region 60 based on the position of the movementregion 60 stored in the position storage section 150 and the calculatednew position of the pointer 90. Firstly, the pointer 90 enters aposition shown in FIG. 7A. Dashed lines at X and Y in FIG. 7A-7Cindicate lines which divide the movement region 60 by the position ofthe dragged portion in a direction to which the dragged portion moves.Then, the dragged portion movement section 110 stores ¼ in associationwith a region being the left side of X, ½ in association with a regionbetween X and Y, and ¼ in association with a region being the right sideof Y as ratio information 122.

When the pointer 90 enters the movement region 60, the display section100 starts to highlight the movement region 60 (S100). For example, themovement region 60 and the dragged portion 70 may be enlarged anddisplayed, or the color of the movement region 60 and the draggedportion 70 may be deepen. Thereby the user can recognize at a glancethat the pointer 90 is placed in the movement region 60. Here, all ofthe movement regions 60 shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 are highlighted.Next, the display section 100 refers the position of the dragged portion70 stored in the position storage section 150 and the position of thepointer 90 and displays the same in the movement region 60 as shown inFIG. 7A (S104).

The dragged portion movement section 110 determines whether the draggedportion 50 is dragged on the display screen 50 based on informationindicating the position of the dragged portion 70 and the operation ofthe button of the mouse 18 (S108). In this case, when it is detectedthat the right button of the mouse 18 is pushed as long as the pointer90 is placed on the dragged portion 70, the dragged portion movementsection 110 determines that the dragged portion 70 is dragged.

In the step S108, when the dragged portion 70 is dragged on the displayscreen 50 (S108:YES), the dragged portion movement section 110 performsstep S200 for processing the movement of the dragged portion 70 when thedragged portion 70 is dragged. The step S200 will be described laterwith reference to FIG. 5.

Meanwhile, in the step S108, when the dragged portion 70 is not draggedon the display screen 50 (S108: No), the dragged portion movementsection 110 determines whether the non-dragged portion 80 is dragged onthe display screen 50 based on information indicating the referredposition of the pointer 90, the position of the movement region 60, theposition of the dragged portion 70 and the operation of the button ofthe mouse 18 (S112).

When the non-dragged portion 80 is dragged on the display screen 50 inthe step S112 (S112: Yes), the region movement section 120 performs step300 for processing the movement of the dragged portion 70 when thenon-dragged portion 80 is dragged. The step S300 will be described laterwith reference to FIG. 6. Here, in this case (S112: Yes), the positionstorage section 150 acquires the ratio between the non-dragged portionratio and the dragged portion ratio at the position of the pointer 90from the region movement section 120 and stores therein the same.

Meanwhile, when the non-dragged portion 80 is not dragged on the displayscreen 50 in the step S112 (S112: No), the dragged portion movementsection 110 acquires the mouse information and calculates theabove-described position to which the pointer 90 moves (S116). Theposition storage section 150 updates the stored position of the pointer90 based on a new position of the pointer 90 acquired from the draggedportion movement section 110 (S120).

The dragged portion movement section 110 determines whether the pointer90 exits from the movement region 60 based on the new position of thepointer 90 calculated in the step S120 and the position of the movementregion 60 (S124). When the pointer 90 exits from the movement region 60(S124: Yes), the display section 100 terminates to highlight themovement region 60 (S128). Then, the flowchart is ended.

Meanwhile, the pointer 90 does not exit from the movement region 60 inthe step the 124 (S124: No), the dragged portion movement section 110returns to the step S104 and repeats the above-described steps. Forexample, in the second time of the step S104, the display section 100displays the pointer 90 at a position B on the movement region 60 withreference to the position of the pointer 90 updated by the positionstorage section 150 in the step 120 as shown in FIG. 7B (S104).Additionally, in three time of the step S104, the pointer 90 isdisplayed at a position C on the movement region 60 as shown in FIG. 7Cas shown in FIG. 7C (S104).

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of an example of operation of the input/outputdevice 10 in the step 200. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing anexample of movement region 60 and dragged portion 70 which is displayed.The flowchart starts when the dragged portion 70 is dragged on thedisplay screen 50 in the step S108 shown in FIG. 4. At the time at whichthe flowchart is started, the display section 100 displays the draggedportion 70 and the pointer 90 at the position shown in FIG. 7A. Thedashed lines indicated at the positions X and Y in FIG. 8A-8E are thesame as those of FIG. 7A-7C.

The display section 100 refers the position of the dragged portion 70and the position of the pointer 90 stored in the position storagesection 150 and displays the same in the movement region 60 (S204). Forexample, when the step 204 is performed subsequent to the step S108, thedisplay section 100 displays the dragged portion 70 and the pointer 90at the positions shown in FIG. 7A. Here, the display section 100displays that the dragged portion 70 is moved. For example, the displaysection 100 changes the color or the size of the dragged portion 70 anddisplays the same.

The dragged portion movement section 110 acquires mouse information indragging the dragged portion 70 (S216). The dragged portion movementsection 110 inputs the referred position of the pointer 90, the ratiobetween the amount of movement of the pointer 90 on the display screen50 and the referred amount of movement of mouse 10 on the desk, and themovement direction and the amount of movement of the mouse 18 acquiredin the step S216 to calculate a new position of the pointer 90. Thedragged portion movement section 110 provides the calculated newposition of the pointer 90 to the position storage section 150. Theposition storage section 150 updates the stored position of the pointer90 and the stored position of the dragged portion 70 based on the newposition of the pointer 90 acquired from the dragged portion movementsection 110 (S220).

The dragged portion movement section 110 determines whether the draggedportion 70 is dropped on the display screen 50 based on informationindicating the operation of the bottom of the mouse 18 (S230). When thedragged portion 70 is dropped in the step S230 (S230: Yes), the displaysection 100 stops displaying that the dragged portion 70 is moved shownin the S204. Then, the flowchart is terminated, and next, step S116 inthe flowchart shown in FIG. 4 is performed.

Meanwhile, the dragged portion 70 is dragged in the step S230 (S230:No), return to the step S204 and repeat the above-described steps. Forexample, in the second time of the step S204, the display section 100refers the position of the pointer 90 updated by the position storagesection 150 in the step S220 and the position of the dragged portion 70and displays the pointer 90 and the dragged portion 70 at a position Ein the movement region 60 as shown in FIG. 8A (S204). Here, the pointer90 and the dragged portion 70 indicated by the dashed lines at aposition A in FIG. 8A indicate the pointer 90 and the dragged portion 70before being moved. The pointer 90 and the dragged portion 70 indicatedby the solid lines indicate the pointer 90 and the dragged portion 70after being moved.

As described above, when the dragged portion 70 is dragged and the mouse18 is moved on the display screen 50, the dragged portion movementsection 110 moves the dragged portion 70 at a predetermined ratio to theamount of movement of the mouse 18 and displays the same.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of an example of operation of the input/outputdevice 10 in step 300. The flowchart starts when the non-dragged portion80 is dragged on the display screen 50 in the step S112 in the flowchartshown in FIG. 4. At the time at which the flowchart is started, thedisplay section 100 displays the dragged portion 70 and the pointer 90at the position shown in FIG. 7B. The position storage section 150stores the ratio between the non-dragged portion ratio and the draggedportion ratio provided in the step S112. That is, the position storagesection 150 stores therein the ratio between the non-dragged portionratio and the dragged portion ratio at the position at which the mousestarts to drag the non-dragged portion 80.

The region movement section 120 acquires the ratio between the draggedportion ratio and the non-dragged portion ratio at the position at whichthe mouse stars to drag the non-dragged portion 80, which is stored inthe position storage section 150 (S302).

The display section 100 refers the position of the dragged portion 70stored in the position storage section 150 and the position of thepointer 90 and displays the same on the movement region 60 (S304). Forexample, in the case that the step S304 is performed subsequent to thestep S108, the display section 100 displays the dragged portion 70 andthe pointer 90 at the position shown in FIG. 7B. Further, the displaysection 100 refers the ratio between the dragged portion ratio and thenon-dragged portion ratio at the position at which the mouse starts todrag the non-dragged portion 80, which is stored in the position storagesection 150 and displays a ratio section 94 of the pointer 90.

The region movement section 120 acquires mouse information in draggingthe non-dragged portion 80 (S316). The region movement section inputsthe referred position of the pointer 90, the ratio between the amount ofmovement of the pointer 90 on the display screen 50 and the referredamount of movement of mouse 18 on the desk, and the movement directionand the amount of movement of the mouse 18 acquired in the step S216 tocalculate a new position of the pointer 90. Additionally, the regionmovement section 120 inputs, in addition to them, the ratio between thedragged portion ratio and the non-dragged portion ratio stored in thestep S302 to calculate a new position of the dragged portion 70. Theregion movement section 120 provides the calculated positions of thepointer 90 and the dragged portion 70 to the position storage section150. The position storage section 150 updates the position of thepointer 90 and the position of the dragged portion 70 which are storedtherein based on the position of the pointer 90 and the position of thedragged portion 70 acquired from the dragged portion movement section110 (S230).

The region movement section 120 determines whether the non-draggedportion 80 is dropped on the display screen 50 based on informationindicating the operation of the button of the mouse 18 (S330). When thenon-dragged portion 80 is dropped on the display screen 50 in the stepS330 (S330: Yes), the display section 100 stops displaying that thenon-dragged portion 80 is moved shown in the S304, and also stopsdisplaying the ratio section 94. Then, the flowchart is terminated, andnext, step the S116 in the flowchart shown in FIG. 4 is performed.

Meanwhile, the non-dragged portion 80 is dragged on the display screen50 in the step S330 (S330: No), return to the step S304 and repeat theabove-described steps.

For example, in the second time of the step S304, the display section100 refers the position of the pointer 90 and the position of thedragged portion 70 updated by the position storage section 150 in thestep S320 and displays the pointer 90 and the dragged portion 70 (S204).

For example, FIG. 8B shows that the mouse starts to drag the non-draggedportion 80 at a position B shown in FIG. 7B and drops the same at aposition F shown in FIG. 8B. The dragged portion 70 and the pointer 90indicated by dashed lines at the position A and the position B in FIG.8B indicate the dragged portion 70 and the pointer 90 just before thenon-dragged portion 80 is dragged. The dragged portion 70 and thepointer 90 indicated by solid lines at a position G and a position F inFIG. 8B indicate the dragged portion 70 and the pointer 90 just beforethe non-dragged portion 80 is dropped. The numerical value ¼ of theratio section 94 of the pointer 90 shown at F indicates the non-draggedportion ratio at the position B where the mouse starts to drag thenon-dragged portion 80. Then, the dashed lines, the solid lines and theratio section 94 in FIG. 8C-8E are the same as those of FIG. 8B.

In an example of FIG. 8B, since the non-dragged portion ratio is ¼, thedragged portion 70 is moved by ¼ (2 scales) of 8 scales which is ratioof the amount of movement of the pointer 90 to the amount of movement ofthe mouse 18. That is, the ratio between the amount of movement of thedragged portion 70 on the display screen 50 and the amount of movementof the mouse 18 when the mouse 18 drags a portion other than the draggedportion 70 in the movement region 60 is one-quarter of the ratio betweenthe amount of movement of the dragged portion on the display screen 50and the amount of movement of the mouse 18 when the mouse drags thedragged portion 70. Therefore, even if the amount of movement of thepointer 90 (from B to F) shown in FIG. 8B is the same as the amount ofmovement of the pointer 90 (from A to G) shown in FIG. 8A when thedragged portion 70 is dragged, the amount of movement of the draggedportion 70 (from A to G) shown in FIG. 8B is one-quarter of the amountof movement of the dragged portion 70 shown in FIG. 8A.

FIG. 8C shows the case that the mouse starts to drag the non-draggedportion 80 at the position B in FIG. 7B and drops the same on theoutside of the movement region 60. In this case, the region movementsection 120 performs the same as the case in FIG. 8B, where the positionat which the non-dragged portion 80 is dropped on the movement section60 in the direction to which the dragged portion 70 moves is the same asFIG. 8B.

FIG. 8D shows the case that the mouse starts the non-dragged portion 80at the position C in FIG. 7C and drops the same at a position H in FIG.8D. As shown in FIG. 8D, the ratio of the amount of movement of thedragged portion 70 on the display screen 50 to the amount of movement ofthe mouse 18 is different between the case that a region C placed in theright side of Y being the end of the movement region 60 as shown in FIG.8D is dragged and the case that the region E between X and Y being thecenter of the movement region. In an example of FIG. 8D, since thenon-dragged portion ratio is ½, the dragged portion 70 is moved by ½ (4scales) of 8 scales which is ratio of the amount of movement of thepointer 90 to the amount of movement of the mouse 18. Therefore, even ifthe amount of movement of the pointer 90 (from B to F) shown in FIG. 8Bis the same as the amount of movement of the pointer 90 (from C to H)shown in FIG. 8D, the amount of movement of the dragged portion 70 (fromA to J) shown in FIG. 8D is different from the amount of movement of thedragged portion 70 shown in FIG. 8B (from A to G).

FIG. 8E shows the case that the mouse starts to drag the non-draggedportion 80 at the position C in FIG. 7C and drops the same at a positionK in FIG. 8E. In the case of FIG. 8D in which the pointer 90 is moves toa position H placed at the right side of the position C at which themouse starts to drag the non-dragged portion 80, the dragged portion 70is moved to a direction the same as the direction to which the pointer90 moves (from A to J) as shown in FIG. 8D. In the same way, in the caseof FIG. 8E in which the pointer 90 is moved to a position K placed atthe left side of the position C at which the mouse starts to drag thenon-dragged portion 80, the dragged portion 70 is moved to a directionthe same as the direction to which the pointer 90 moves (from A to L).

As described above, when the non-dragged portion 80 is dragged and themouse 18 is moved on the display screen 50, the region movement section120 moves the dragged portion 70 on the display screen 50 at theabove-described non-dragged portion ratio to the amount of movement ofthe mouse 18 and displays the same.

According to the present embodiment as described above, the ratiobetween the amount of movement of the dragged portion 70 on the displayscreen 50 and the amount of movement of the mouse 18 is differentdependent on which portion id dragged. Therefore, any dragged portioncan be changed between a desired situation that the dragged portion 70is quickly and widely moved on the display screen 50 and another desiredsituation that the dragged portion 70 is precisely moved a little bit,so that the dragged portion 70 on the display screen 50 can be rapidlyand surely moved.

Here, a condition that the dragged portion 70 is selected by the mouse18 is not limited to the condition that the dragged portion 70 isdragged by the mouse 18. For example, the condition that the draggedportion 70 is selected by the mouse 18 may be a period for which thepointer 90 is placed on the dragged portion 70 and the right button ofthe mouse 18 is pushed and the pointer 90 is pushed again on the draggedportion 70 or not on the dragged portion 70.

Additionally, the input device is not limited to the mouse but may be atrack pad, a track ball, a pointing stick and a pen tablet. The mousemay be a wireless mouse. Accordingly, the amount of operation of theinput device is not limited to the amount of movement of the inputdevice but may be the mount of operation inputted to the input device.For example, the amount of operation of the pointing stick may beinputted dependent on the time for which the pointing stick is tilted.

Here, the image processing section 160 has functions of editing andreproducing moving images. Examples of function of editing moving imageare various filterings and a cross-fading. Inputs for setting thosefunctions are the same as described above. Examples of function ofreproducing moving image is setting of a position at which areproduction is started, the size of reproduction and the speed ofreproduction, and adjusting of balance of the volume. Inputs for thosefunctions are the same as described above. That is, the user drags thedragged portion and the movement region thereof and moves the same usingthe input device in order to set parameters used for setting for aprocessing and operating at editing and reproducing moving images.Therefore, the parameters can be more easily changed and adjusted. Forexample, in order to reproduce a moving image, the user firstly dragsthe dragged portion and moves the same to a desired reproducing positionby the minute, and then, drags and moves the movement region while theratio section 94 indicates “ 1/60” or “one second”, so that the user caneasily adjust the reproducing position by the minute and start toreproduce the moving image at the desired reproducing position.

Still more, the input/output device 10 has an application section (notshown in Figure) that achieves at least one function of an web browser,a word processor, a spreadsheet, a commercial or research simulator oran entertainment video game. Inputs for those functions are the same asdescribed above. That is, the user can more easily input to theapplication section by dragging the dragged portion and the movementregion thereof and moving the same by using the input device. Forexample, in using a word processor, the user drags the dragged portionand moves the same while the ratio section 94 indicates “1/1” or “10p”,so that pages are progressed or returned by ten pages, and drags thedragged portion and moves the same while the ratio section 94 indicates“1/10” or “1p”, so that a page is progressed or returned page by page.Additionally, the user drags the dragged portion on an web browser andmoves the same, so that a display screen is moved per screen, and dragsthe dragged portion on an web browser and moves the same while the ratiosection 94 indicates “¼” or “25%”, so that a display screen is moved by¼ screen. Thus, the operation can be more easily performed. Here, anyapplication which are not described above and any program other than theapplication program can be applicable, of course.

While the present invention have been described with the embodiment, thetechnical scope of the invention not limited to the above describedembodiment. It is apparent to persons skilled in the art that variousalternations and improvements can be added to the above-describedembodiment. It is apparent from the scope of the claims that theembodiment added such alternation or improvements can be included in thetechnical scope of the invention.

1-6. (canceled)
 7. An input/output device using a graphical userinterface, comprising: a display section that displays a dragged portionand a movement region in which the dragged portion is moved, saiddisplay section displaying on a display screen; a dragged portionmovement section that moves a position of the dragged portion in themovement region on the display screen dependent on an amount ofoperation of an input device by selecting the dragged portion on thedisplay screen by the input device and operating the input device in afirst direction; and a region movement section that moves the positionof the dragged portion in the movement region on the display screendependent on the amount of operation of the input device by selecting asecond portion, other than the dragged portion, in the movement regionby the input device on the display screen and operating the input devicein the first direction, wherein a ratio between the amount of movementof the dragged portion on the display screen and the amount of operationof the input device when the dragged portion is selected is differentfrom the ratio between the amount of movement of the dragged portion onthe display screen and the amount of operation of the input device whenthe second portion in the movement region is selected.
 8. Theinput/output device as set forth in claim 7, wherein the ratio betweenthe amount of movement of the dragged portion on the display screen andthe amount of operation of the input device is different between thecase that the end of the portion other than the dragged portion in themovement region is selected and the case that the center of the portionother than the dragged portion in the movement region is selected. 9.The input/output device as set forth in claim 8, wherein the displaysection displays a pointer that visually indicates the ratio on thedisplay screen.
 10. The input/output device as set forth in claim 7,further comprising a numerical value acquiring section that acquires anumerical value based on the position of the dragged portion in themovement region.
 12. The input/output device as set forth in claim 7,wherein the dragged portion can only be moved in the movement region byselecting a portion of a track and operating the input device, thedragged portion and the second portion being portions of the track. 13.The input/output device as set forth in claim 12, wherein the track is alinear track between two opposed sides of a rectangular region.
 14. Theinput/output device as set forth in claim 7, wherein the display sectiondisplays a slider bar comprising the dragged portion and the movementregion.
 15. An input/output method using a graphical user interface,comprising: displaying, on a display screen, a dragged portion and amovement region in which the dragged portion is moved; moving a positionof the dragged portion in the movement region on the display screendependent on an amount of operation of an input device by selecting thedragged portion on the display screen by the input device and operatingthe input device in a first direction; and moving the position of adragged portion in the movement region on the display screen dependenton the amount of operation of the input device by selecting a secondportion, other than the dragged portion, in the movement region by theinput device on the display screen and operating the input device in thefirst direction, wherein a ratio between the amount of movement of thedragged portion on the display screen and the amount of operation of theinput device when the dragged portion is selected is different from theratio between the amount of movement of the dragged portion on thedisplay screen and the amount of operation of the input device when thesecond portion in the movement region is selected.
 16. The input/outputmethod as set forth in claim 15, wherein the dragged portion can only bemoved in the movement region by selecting a portion of a track andoperating the input device, the dragged portion and the second portionbeing portions of the track.
 17. The input/output method as set forth inclaim 16, wherein the track is a linear track between two opposed sidesof a rectangular region.
 18. The input/output method as set forth inclaim 15, wherein displaying the dragged portion and the movement regioncomprises displaying a slider bar comprising the dragged portion and themovement region.
 19. A non-transitory computer readable medium storingthereon a program for an input/output device using a graphical userinterface, the program causes the input/output device to perform thesteps of: displaying, on a display screen, a dragged portion and amovement region in which the dragged portion is moved; moving a positionof the dragged portion in the movement region on the display screendependent on an amount of operation of an input device by selecting thedragged portion on the display screen by the input device and operatingthe input device in a first direction; and moving the position of adragged portion in the movement region on the display screen dependenton the amount of operation of the input device by selecting a secondportion, other than the dragged portion, in the movement region by theinput device on the display screen and operating the input device in thefirst direction, wherein a ratio between the amount of movement of thedragged portion on the display screen and the amount of operation of theinput device when the dragged portion is selected is different from theratio between the amount of movement of the dragged portion on thedisplay screen and the amount of operation of the input device when thesecond portion in the movement region is selected.
 20. The computerreadable medium as set forth in claim 19, wherein the dragged portioncan only be moved in the movement region by selecting a portion of atrack and operating the input device, the dragged portion and the secondportion being portions of the track.
 21. The computer readable medium asset forth in claim 19, wherein the track is a linear track between twoopposed sides of a rectangular region.
 22. The computer readable mediumas set forth in claim 19, wherein displaying the dragged portion and themovement region comprises displaying a slider bar comprising the draggedportion and the movement region.